Tricel Weston Ltd. Becomes a Member of BAFSA, the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association

Tricel Water UK has become a member of BAFSA, the trade association representing the UK’s automatic fire sprinkler industry. The BAFSA membership reinforces Tricel’s position as a supplier of LPCB-approved GRP water storage tanks for fire protection, for sprinkler systems designed to BS EN 12845, BS 9251 and NFPA.

Published
Audience

Fire Protection Engineers · M&E Contractors · Specifiers

Region

UK — England & Wales, Scotland, NI

Reading Time

Approx. 4 minutes

Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

Tricel (Weston) Ltd., the GRP water storage tank manufacturer, has announced that it is now a member of BAFSA — the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association, the representative body for the UK’s automatic fire sprinkler industry since 1974. BAFSA brings together manufacturers, installers, designers and suppliers involved in the design, installation and maintenance of automatic sprinkler systems, and works with government, fire and rescue services, and insurers on standards and guidance for the sector.

This BAFSA membership formalises a relationship Tricel already has with the wider fire sprinkler sector through its supply of LPCB-approved GRP fire sprinkler water storage tanks, certified to LPS 1276 Issue 2.0 and listed in the LPCB RedBook. As a BAFSA member, Tricel will have closer access to the association’s technical guidance and updates on standards relevant to sprinkler systems water storage, and the opportunity to contribute to industry discussion on water storage tanks for fire protection.

Background: BAFSA and the UK fire sprinkler industry

BAFSA — the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association — has represented the UK automatic fire sprinkler industry since 1974. Its membership covers manufacturers of sprinkler system components, contractors who design and install systems, and suppliers of associated products, including water storage tanks.

The association produces technical guidance for the sprinkler industry, contributes to the development of UK and European standards such as BS EN 12845 and BS 9251, and engages with insurers, fire and rescue services, and government on the role of automatic sprinkler systems in building fire safety. For manufacturers supplying products into UK sprinkler systems, BAFSA membership provides a recognised route to engagement with this work.

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Joining BAFSA is a natural step for Tricel. We already supply LPCB-approved GRP sprinkler tanks to projects designed to BS EN 12845 and BS 9251, and our customers operate within the same regulatory and insurance framework that BAFSA represents. Membership gives us a closer line into the standards and guidance shaping that framework, and a way to contribute our own experience as a tank manufacturer back into the industry.

Mathew Axford – Commercial Director

Tricel Weston Ltd.

About BAFSA

BAFSA — the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association — is the representative trade body for the UK’s automatic fire sprinkler industry, established in 1974. Its membership includes manufacturers, contractors, designers and suppliers involved in automatic sprinkler systems for commercial, industrial, residential and other buildings.

BAFSA produces technical and promotional material on the role of automatic sprinkler systems in fire safety, supports the development and application of standards including BS EN 12845 and BS 9251, and engages with government, fire and rescue services, and insurers on sprinkler-related policy and guidance.

Supporting fire protection infrastructure with GRP tanks

Tricel manufactures GRP fire sprinkler water storage tanks in one-piece and sectional configurations, including EFB, IFB and TIF designs for restricted plant rooms and retrofit projects. Each tank is fitted with an LPS 2070 LPCB-approved vortex inhibitor where required by the system specification, helping to maintain stable flow at the outlet during a fire event.

These tanks support sprinkler systems water storage requirements across the hazard classes set out in BS EN 12845, from Light Hazard through to the Ordinary Hazard groups, as well as the lower-volume requirements of BS 9251 for residential systems. Tricel’s two UK manufacturing sites, in Weston-super-Mare and Lanark, supply tanks for commercial, healthcare, education and infrastructure projects nationwide.

Membership at a Glance

1974

Year BAFSA was founded as the UK’s automatic fire sprinkler trade association

LPS 1276

Issue 2.0 — Tricel’s current LPCB sprinkler tank certification

LPS 2070

LPCB-approved vortex inhibitor fitted as standard where specified

2

UK manufacturing sites — Weston-super-Mare and Lanark

The Organisations

TRICEL

GRP cold water storage tank manufacturer
tricelwater.co.uk

BAFSA

British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association
bafsa.org.uk

Tricel

Enquire about fire sprinkler tanks

Contact Tricel Water UK to discuss LPCB-approved GRP fire sprinkler water storage tanks for your project.

About Tricel Water UK

Tricel Water UK manufactures and supplies GRP (glass-reinforced plastic) water storage tanks, including LPCB-approved fire sprinkler tanks certified to LPS 1276 Issue 2.0, for commercial, multi-residential, industrial, healthcare and education buildings throughout the United Kingdom. Tricel is a member of BAFSA — the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association.

Tricel Water UK is part of the Tricel Group, an international manufacturer of environmental products, tanks and building materials.

Address: Winterstoke Road, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, BS24 9AN
Telephone: +44 (0)1934 421 477
Email: sales@tricelwater.co.uk
Web: tricelwater.co.uk

Regulatory and standards references

BAFSA — British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association. The UK trade association for the automatic fire sprinkler industry, representing manufacturers, contractors, designers and suppliers since 1974.

LPS 1276 — LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board) standard for water storage tanks used in fire suppression systems. Tricel’s fire sprinkler tanks are certified to Issue 2.0 and listed in the LPCB RedBook.

LPS 2070 — LPCB approval standard for vortex inhibitors fitted to fire suppression tanks, required by LPS 1276.

BS EN 12845 — Fixed firefighting systems. Automatic sprinkler systems. Design, installation and maintenance. The primary UK and European standard for sprinkler systems in commercial and industrial buildings.

BS 9251 — Fire sprinkler systems for domestic and residential occupancies. Code of practice. The applicable standard for residential and domestic sprinkler systems.

BS EN 13280:2001 — Glass-fibre reinforced cisterns of one-piece and sectional construction for the storage, above ground, of cold water. The construction standard referenced for Tricel’s GRP tanks.

Technical articles

In-depth technical guidance

Each article covers a specific aspect of fire sprinkler tank specification in detail, with the regulatory basis, practical scope and certification requirements explained.

WHITEPAPER

Water Storage for Fire Suppression

Ensure compliance and peace of mind. Download Tricel’s white paper on designing fire suppression water storage systems with LPCB-certified sprinkler tanks.

CASE STUDY

SEN School, Falkenham — LPCB-Approved Sprinkler Tank Installation

A custom sectional GRP sprinkler tank, sized to a restricted plant room, installed for a special educational needs school to BS EN 12845 and BS 9251. Works were carried out within a school-holiday window to limit disruption to term time.

Brochure

Fire Sprinkler Tank Product Brochure

One-piece and sectional configurations, hazard class coverage, vortex inhibitor specification and LPCB certification, in a single downloadable guide.

STANDARDS & COMPLIANCE

LPCB Approved Sprinkler Tanks Guide

What LPCB approval to LPS 1276 means, how RedBook listing works, and what specifiers and insurers should check before ordering a fire sprinkler tank.

STANDARDS & COMPLIANCE

Fire Sprinkler Tank Selection Guide

Hazard classification, applicable standards and configuration options explained, to help specifiers select the right fire sprinkler tank for a project.

FIRE PROTECTION

BS EN 12845 Hazard Classification Explained

How Light Hazard, Ordinary Hazard and High Hazard classes are defined, and how they relate to minimum sprinkler tank storage volumes.

Fire prinkler water storage tanks

Enquire About a Fire Sprinkler Water Storage Tank

Contact Tricel Water UK to discuss your project requirements and to receive current pricing and lead times from our technical sales team.

These guides are provided for general guidance and information purposes only. It does not constitute engineering advice and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for design decisions. © 2026 Tricel Water. All rights reserved.